Key-fastener



No. 6l5,380.. Patented Dec. 6, I898. A. E. BROCKETT.

KEY FASTENER.

(Application filed Kay 28, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Irwe'nibr,

Hfwwir l Brockelt- H115 Attorney.

UMITEn STATES FATENT Trice.

ATwATER BROOKETT, or EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES M. MARTIN, or BOSTON, MASSAcnUSETTs.

KEY-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,380, dated December 6, 1898.

Application filed May 28, 1898. Serial No. 682,044. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ATVVATER E. BROCK- ETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Key-Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. The object of this invention is the construction of an improved escutcheon for looks, by means of which the key can be prevented from being turned from the outside and also in which the keyhole shall be wholly closed against eavesdroppers as well as against the insertion of any instrument by which the key might be unwarrantably manipulated.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my escutcheon with 'itskey securely held thereby. Fig. 2 is a view of my escutcheon from the back when unapplied to a door. Fig. 3 is a front sectional view of the same on the line X X in Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a side or edge view of the escutcheon, showing the key in place and the part of the doorto which the same is applied appearing in section.

In the drawings, A indicates the outer portion of the escutcheon, and A the raised central portion, through which is cut the keyhole a, corresponding with the keyhole for which the escutcheon is designed. The device is secured to the door in the proper place, over the keyhole thereof, by the three screws 0 c 0 passing through suitable holes in the outer portion A of the escutcheon.

At the juncture of the central and outer portions of the escutcheon are two slots a a as indicated in Fig. 8, through which passes the key-holder D, pivoted at one end upon one of the screws 0 0 In the edge of said holder is a slot or deep notch d, fitted for the reception of the key-stem B. When this holder has its end d depressed to its lowest position, the keyhole Ct is left entirely free therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2; but when the key has been turned until the bolt has been shot into its locking position the free end of the key-holder is swung up until its notch 01 snugly straddles the flat keystem, as indicated in Fig. 3. To retain said holder in this latter position, I form the escutcheon with the slight projections a a past which it is necessary to raise the holder with some slight force and by means of which said holder is retained in its elevated position against the action both of gravity and any attempted turning of the key.

I provide the holder D with two notches d at opposite sides thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The object of this and of the two projections a a is to enable the holder to be pivoted upon either of the screws 0 or 0 and hence be canted either to the right or to the left in the escu tcheon. iVhen canted toward the right, as in Fig. 3, it is adapted for a lock in which the key throws the bolt toward the left, while when canted in the opposite direction it will engage a key which throws the bolt toward the right, for it should be remembered that it is far better to have the key held at an oblique angle rather than straight up and down in the keyhole and also when turned toward the direction in which it has just thrown the bolt. The reason for this is that when in this position the key-bit is braced against the tail of the bolt and absolutely. prevents the latter from being thrown back either by means of a knife inserted between the door and jainb or by a bent wire thrust through the keyhole.

What I claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. The escutcheon-plate having the raised central portion formed with the keyhole and the peripheral slots, a a in combination with the holder, D, formed with the key-engaging notch, 01, the ends'of said holder pro jecting out through said slots, and one of said ends formed into a finger-piece, while the other end is pivotally held by a screw passing through the same and the escutcheon plate, said holder being more or less resilient, and the escutcheon being formed with the projection, a extending into the path of said holder midway of the slot through which its free end passes, whereby said holder can be retained in either of its positions of engagement or disengagement with respect to the 1 key inserted through the escntcheon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The circularescutcheon-plate havingthe raised central portion, the slots, 01?, a and keyhole, a, and the two projections, a M, in combination with the three screws for securing it in place, and the key-holder, D, having the two notches, d, and passing through I0 said slots, one end of said holder being formed into a finger-piece, d, at one side of the plate, and the otherend pivoted to either one of said screws, a a

In testimony that I claim the foregoinginvention I have hereunto set my hand this 12th :5

day of May, A. D. 1898.

ATWATER E. BROOKETT. VV it n esses:

CHARLES M. MARTIN, A. B. .UPHAM, 

